Influx of irregular immigrants to Italy
It has been reported that 1,397 irregular migrants have arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa in the last 48 hours.
According to the news of the Italian channel Rainews24, the flow of irregular migration towards the island of Lampedusa, which is the land part of Italy closest to Africa in the Mediterranean, continues. In the news it was reported that 8 boats with a total of 472 irregular migrants arrived on the island overnight. Yesterday it was reported that 925 irregular migrants arrived on the island in 20 boats of various sizes. It was claimed that the boats carrying the irregular migrants left Tunisia and Libya.
It was noted that the Agrigento Governorate, to which the island of Lampedusa is affiliated, plans to evacuate some of the island’s immigrants to the mainland.
According to data from the Italian Ministry of the Interior, the number of irregular migrants who arrived in Italy by sea from New Year to February 17 was 9,254. In the same period last year, this number was recorded at 4,263. Around 104,000 irregular migrants arrived in Italy by sea in 2022.
THE PROBLEM OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
The Mediterranean region between Italy, Malta and Libya has gained prominence in recent years as one of the most used irregular migration routes in the transition from Africa to Europe.
European non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often rescue irregular migrants who ask for help at sea, rather than European government officials. These NGOs have difficulties in evacuating the irregular migrants they rescue from time to time because the EU member states do not provide them with a ‘safe haven’.
The first place where immigrants who can cross the Mediterranean or are rescued on their own set foot in Europe is the island of Lampedusa, which is the closest land part of Italy to North Africa.
A large number of irregular immigrants die each year trying to cross the Mediterranean, due to overcrowded ships or lack of air and water due to overcrowded ships. (AA)